Brewers expanding Retro Friday uniforms

[EatSleepJeep]

When any combination of the Twins, Red Sox and White Sox play each other, their warmups will appear identical. Great move.

[Gothamite]

I don't think the White Sox will be wearing that throwback.

As for the Twins and Red Sox, well, that became inevitable once the leagues started taking over the equipment contracts. Not just MLB, but all the top-level pro leagues.

[Omega 8]

When any combination of the Twins, Red Sox and White Sox play each other, their warmups will appear identical. Great move.

I don't believe these are actually slated for on-field use (with the probable exception of Milwaukee) just a fashion deal, you know, to sell more

[Gothamite]

True.

Looking at the others, I don't even know if the fleece will be used by the Brewers or if it's just a fashion deal.

The jacket, by all accounts, is on-field apparel. Maybe that's a reflection of the move from Sunday days to Friday nights, maybe it's an indication of the direction in which management is moving with the team's look.

[averyj]

I miss the ol' padres yellow n' brown.

That thing scares me. It violates the "yellow and brown" rule.

The yellow and brown rule being:

Don't Use Yellow and Brown.

[KDubK414]

I AM LOVING THIS!!!

Having grown up in the era of the Ball 'n' Glove and seeing many games with it, I am glad Attanasio is making this a "permanent" look for them. I hated to see it go back in the 90's, especially after they updated the on field look with the script and button down jerseys. If they do decide to go back to this set full time, you won't hear any complaints from this guy

[Gothamite]

Glad you like it - by all accounts, the majority of Brewers fans do.

Myself, the Ball and Glove isn't my favorite logo by far (I'm a Beer Barrel Man fan), but the current stuff is so soulless, so uninspired, that I would welcome a return to the 1980s classic.

Love your sigs, but why give put Molitor's name on the back of his jersey? He played many seasons without it (including seven in the grays).

[BallWonk]

Glad you like it - by all accounts, the majority of Brewers fans do.

Myself, the Ball and Glove isn't my favorite logo by far (I'm a Beer Barrel Man fan), but the current stuff is so soulless, so uninspired, that I would welcome a return to the 1980s classic.

I just don't understand that criticism of the current Brewers set versus the ball-in-glove cap logo. I love the current Brewers uniforms; to this beer snob they look like a team named after beer ought to look. But granting that a team that looks like what it's named after and like the distinctive product its city is best known for is "soulless" and "uninspired," how can the ball-in-glove MB logo be defensible? It communicates nothing about the team name, identity, or location. It would work just as well for the Montgomery Biscuits or the Memphis Blues, and it would work even better for the Myrtle Beach Pelicans or the Mobile Bay Bears. Is it possible for Milwaukee to deploy a more generic, less particular logo? Probably not. Even a block M would at least look like the old Braves caps that the Brewers recolored at first.

I kind of like the ball-in-glove logo on account of it being moderately cute and clever -- but in the way that a good pun is cute and clever, which is to say, once and only once -- but "inspired"? "Soulful"? Not remotely.

And that's not even to mention the fact that the single most minor-league thing a team can do is to combine its city and team initials on its caps.

But anyway, the thing I don't understand is rejecting the Brewers current unis as uninspired in order to justify the return of an even more generic cap logo and uniform script.

[hecticbro]

Well said!

[Gothamite]

Even a block M would at least look like the old Braves caps that the Brewers recolored at first.

You might be surprised to know that I would be completely in favor of them doing just that.

As I've said before, the ball and glove isn't my favorite logo. But at least it has some spirit to it, some whimsy. It has some character.

I love the idea of the current set (especially the barley), but the script just doesn't have any charm to it. I don't like the line - uneven in its swoop. It looks like it was designed by an ad agency. Any time you have to change the angle of the wordmark in order to fit it onto the primary logo, that's a sign of a bad design.

Then there's the big gap in the middle of the "B", which looks to my eye like a target for an opposing pitcher to throw at the batter's ribcage. The Helena Brewers hit on the inspired solution of filling it with a barley sprig:

If the Brewers were to do something like that, I think the jersey would be improved. Again, when the mark is improved by a minor league club, it's not the sign of a particularly strong design.

Change the wordmark and cap letter, add the city name back on to the front of the roads (another thing the 80s set has over the current one - the 80s set isn't ashamed of its hometown), and you might have a really good design. As it is - meh.

If we're really talking favorites, the 1998-2000 uniform was my favorite. The Germanic lettering and simple-yet-distinct, proud "M" was all class, and really resonated a Milwaukee vibe.

[BallWonk]

Then there's the big gap in the middle of the "B", which looks to my eye like a target for an opposing pitcher to throw at the batter's ribcage. The Helena Brewers hit on the inspired solution of filling it with a barley sprig:

If the Brewers were to do something like that, I think the jersey would be improved. Again, when the mark is improved by a minor league club, it's not the sign of a particularly strong design.

Change the wordmark and cap letter, add the city name back on to the front of the roads (another thing the 80s set has over the current one - the 80s set isn't ashamed of its hometown), and you might have a really good design. As it is - meh.

If we're really talking favorites, the 1998-2000 uniform was my favorite. The Germanic lettering and simple-yet-distinct, proud "M" was all class, and really resonated a Milwaukee vibe.

First off, I own a Helene Brewers cap with that HB logo. Never even been to Montana, but I use it as my official homebrewing cap. They alt team cap, navy with the tan bill, is a thing of beauty.

I don't see the swooshy, open B as a problem or a target, but if it does form a target, that wouldn't be a fault. It would be a feature. The average Milwaukee batter reaches base about one time in three when the pitcher isn't throwing at his chest. When the pitcher does hit his chest, the average Milwaukee batter reaches base a whopping 100 percent of the time.

And from the "there's no accounting for taste" department, the one thing I really didn't like about the 1998-2000 uniform was the M. It worked fine on the shirt, but proportionally it was all wrong standing alone (or twined with a on the cap. Out of Upper Midwest loyalty, the Brewers were sort of my adopted NL team before the Nats came to town, but I didn't buy a Brewers cap until they came up with the current barley-M design. But come up with a better treatment of the M and I wouldn't mind a return of the 1998 uniforms, either. Nor would I mind a return of the ball-in-glove logo, just so long as it doesn't get anywhere near anyone's cap.

Putting aside logo elements, how do you rank the team's various color schemes (Seattle Pilots royal and yellow; navy, tealish green, and gold; and navy and gold)? I think it would be interesting to see the Brewers in colors that have a more Germanic feel. Add some red or orange, and maybe a beer-y golden tan or brown.

And I agree with you that road jerseys that say "Milwaukee" ought to be mandatory. No excuse for not doing so, especially since the "Milwaukee" version of the "Brewers" script is the classier looking of the two.

[Gothamite]

Color schemes? I don't know.

I have a soft spot in my heart for Bud's intended scheme of navy and red, since it's traditional for the city and for the team that gave the current team its name.

My least favorite color scheme was the navy, green and gold. Green never worked for me, and was always pasted on.

I think the current scheme is really blah. Sounds good in theory, but the navy always seems too dark. Hate the brick.

I guess I like the royal and gold best, since it is unique in pro sports and has a sunny, summery feel to it. Even if the color scheme is a hand-me-down.

[IceCap]

Glad you like it - by all accounts, the majority of Brewers fans do.

Myself, the Ball and Glove isn't my favorite logo by far (I'm a Beer Barrel Man fan), but the current stuff is so soulless, so uninspired, that I would welcome a return to the 1980s classic.

I just don't understand that criticism of the current Brewers set versus the ball-in-glove cap logo. I love the current Brewers uniforms; to this beer snob they look like a team named after beer ought to look. But granting that a team that looks like what it's named after and like the distinctive product its city is best known for is "soulless" and "uninspired," how can the ball-in-glove MB logo be defensible? It communicates nothing about the team name, identity, or location. It would work just as well for the Montgomery Biscuits or the Memphis Blues, and it would work even better for the Myrtle Beach Pelicans or the Mobile Bay Bears. Is it possible for Milwaukee to deploy a more generic, less particular logo? Probably not. Even a block M would at least look like the old Braves caps that the Brewers recolored at first.

I kind of like the ball-in-glove logo on account of it being moderately cute and clever -- but in the way that a good pun is cute and clever, which is to say, once and only once -- but "inspired"? "Soulful"? Not remotely.

And that's not even to mention the fact that the single most minor-league thing a team can do is to combine its city and team initials on its caps.

But anyway, the thing I don't understand is rejecting the Brewers current unis as uninspired in order to justify the return of an even more generic cap logo and uniform script.

Bingo.

The current set puts the ball-in-glove/mb logo to shame. I would say, out of the ball-in-glove set and the current set, it's the current set that has "spirit."

Also, Gothamite aren't you one of the people who dislikes the Colorado Rockies cap because it features both the initials of the team's location and it's name? Shouldn't the ball-in-glove logo receive the same criticism?

[hecticbro]

I liked that the colors in the Brewers' last scheme represented the elements used in brewing beer. Water, hops, barley.... yeast?

[IceCap]

I guess I like the royal and gold best, since it is unique in pro sports and has a sunny, summery feel to it. Even if the color scheme is a hand-me-down.

It is a nice colour combo, and it would be unique. I would be ok with the Brewers using those colours with the current logo set.

Red and navy is way to overdone however. I understand there is a tradition behind it, but it's just to common. The brewers should stick with either royal and athletic gold, or navy and "true" gold.

[Gothamite]

No, I honestly don't think so. The primary feature of the ball-and-glove isn't the initials.

But as I've said, the ball-and-glove isn't my favorite Brewers logo. Not by a long shot. It is only a measure of how little regard I have for the current unbalanced scheme that the glove starts looking good.

I guess I like the royal and gold best, since it is unique in pro sports and has a sunny, summery feel to it. Even if the color scheme is a hand-me-down.

It is a nice colour combo, and it would be unique. I would be ok with the Brewers using those colours with the current logo set.

Red and navy is way to overdone however. I understand there is a tradition behind it, but it's just to common. The brewers should stick with either royal and athletic gold, or navy and "true" gold.

I'd like to see them go with navy, true gold and a touch of red. I think the navy and gold is just too dreary, especially in print, and red would lighten it up (not brick, which has the same problem as the navy and gold).

[IceCap]

No, I honestly don't think so. The primary feature of the ball-and-glove isn't the initials.

But as I've said, the ball-and-glove isn't my favorite Brewers logo. Not by a long shot. It is only a measure of how little regard I have for the current unbalanced scheme that the glove starts looking good.

If the primary feature of the logo isn't the "mb" then it's just as baseball glove holding a ball. That makes it even worse. It's like the Vancouver Canucks rink/skate logo. It just relates to the sport being played, not the team's name or location.

The current set has a classy feel to it while simultaneously incorporating references to beer-making. The current set is, IMO, brilliant. The only way to improve it would be to put "Milwaukee" on the road.

As for the beer-barrel man, I think he's great. He has a completely different look to him then any of the current marks, but he accomplishes the same goal; referencing beer-making.

Here's an idea for a Brewers uniform that I think you will like; white with athletic gold and royal blue piping around the collar and sleeves, with a beer-barrel man on the right sleeve. Arched royal "BREWERS" across the font outlined in athletic gold, and a block athletic gold "M" on a royal hat.

Same hat on the road. Grey with athletic gold and royal striping around the collar and sleeves, with the beer-barrel man on the right sleeve. Script "MILWAUKEE" (see your signature) in royal outlined in athletic gold. Royal blue socks and belts for both sets.

[hecticbro]

That beer barrel man logo is just ridiculous. It looks beyond minor league.

[BallWonk]

No, I honestly don't think so. The primary feature of the ball-and-glove isn't the initials.

...

I'd like to see them go with navy, true gold and a touch of red. I think the navy and gold is just too dreary, especially in print, and red would lighten it up (not brick, which has the same problem as the navy and gold).

What, then, is the primary feature of the ball-in-glove logo? The baseball and catcher's mitt? If so, then that logo is even more soullessly generic than I thought.

I liked the 1998 color scheme, but not for Milwaukee. Where did that tealish green come from?

I've just now had a vision of a red Brewers team with a strong dark brown secondary and cream accents, using the 1998 lettering, and I'm liking it. Might have to whip something up tonight for the concepts board to see how it would look. Definitely more German-ish. But would Miller put the kibosh on a Brewers identity that dumped blue for something that looks more like a Bud label?

As far as the blues go, I like that the Brewers use true navy instead of midnight blue. It actually makes them pretty distinctive, and less dreary than most teams that use a shade of dark blue. I wish the Nationals or Twins used true navy instead of midnight. I like the royal and gold combo, but again it just doesn't say "Milwaukee" or "brewing" to me. The true gold does, which is why I (slightly) prefer the current color scheme. But not strongly.

[Gothamite]

No, I honestly don't think so. The primary feature of the ball-and-glove isn't the initials.

...

I'd like to see them go with navy, true gold and a touch of red. I think the navy and gold is just too dreary, especially in print, and red would lighten it up (not brick, which has the same problem as the navy and gold).

What, then, is the primary feature of the ball-in-glove logo? The baseball and catcher's mitt? If so, then that logo is even more soullessly generic than I thought.

I liked the 1998 color scheme, but not for Milwaukee. Where did that tealish green come from?

I've just now had a vision of a red Brewers team with a strong dark brown secondary and cream accents, using the 1998 lettering, and I'm liking it. Might have to whip something up tonight for the concepts board to see how it would look. Definitely more German-ish. But would Miller put the kibosh on a Brewers identity that dumped blue for something that looks more like a Bud label?

As far as the blues go, I like that the Brewers use true navy instead of midnight blue. It actually makes them pretty distinctive, and less dreary than most teams that use a shade of dark blue. I wish the Nationals or Twins used true navy instead of midnight. I like the royal and gold combo, but again it just doesn't say "Milwaukee" or "brewing" to me. The true gold does, which is why I (slightly) prefer the current color scheme. But not strongly.

I think you can say a lot about the glove, but "soulless" doesn't fit in my mind, largely because of its origin. But I'll agree to disagree.

I worked up a concept lo these many moons ago that incorporated brown as the secondary color, on a cream base (the Giants had just unveiled it, and I thought I'd give it a try). I think it really worked. I used an old-style font that looked something like that the Reds are using this season.

I think athletic gold is closer to beer (especially American lager) than metallic gold, so the old color scheme says "beer" more to me.